Seth Brown Becomes Free Agent After Opting Out of Yankees Minor League Contract

Seth Brown, a 33-year-old veteran with seven major league seasons, has become a free agent after opting out of his minor league contract with the New York Yankees and being released by the team on June 14. Brown signed a minor league deal with the Yankees in January following a seven-year tenure with the Oakland Athletics from 2019 to 2025. He struggled during spring training and failed to make the Yankees' roster, spending the season with their Triple-A affiliate in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

In Triple-A, Brown posted a .235/.327/.436 slash line with nine home runs in 208 plate appearances. His performance showed notable splits against different pitcher types: he struggled significantly against left-handed pitchers with a .189/.286/.270 average and a 52.4% strikeout rate over 42 at-bats, while faring better against right-handed pitchers with a .247/.337/.466 average and a 28% strikeout rate. His strikeout rate overall sat just under 33%, though he drew walks in over 11% of his plate appearances.

Rather than adding Brown to the 40-man roster, the Yankees granted his release, allowing him to pursue opportunities with any MLB team. Brown is primarily viewed as depth at first base, corner outfield, and designated hitter positions, with his skill set best suited for right-handed pitching matchups. His career statistics include 74 home runs across over 560 games, with his best season coming in 2022 when he hit 20 home runs. In 2025 with the Athletics before his trade to New York, Brown appeared in limited action with 65 at-bats, batting .185 with an .OPS of .564.